Department of Psychology

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Attention and Memory Lab

Research in the Attention and Memory Lab examines cognitive factors related to student learning and achievement. The lab investigates how working memory capacity (the limited attentional resources we have available during effortful tasks) influences problem-solving and retrieval of information from long-term memory. This includes exploring methods for teaching effective strategies to individuals with low working memory capacity (i.e., fewer attentional resources). Effective strategy instruction can help students with low working memory succeed at tasks that tax working memory, such as reading comprehension and mathematical problem-solving.

I am also interested in students' perception of cognitive load, or task difficulty. My research indicates that students' judgments of how difficult they find a task are sometimes unrelated to their actual performance on the task. Students' perception of cognitive load may affect how they allocate cognitive resources during learning; my research explores individual and situational variables that influence students' perception of cognitive load. One important aim of this work is to inform the development of effective teaching practices in order to enhance student learning.

If you are interested in working in the Attention and Memory Lab or would like more information about my research, please feel free to email me or stop by my office.

Dr. Jenni Redifer (lab director)